Seth Stohs

In that situation though, I'd sure like having an outfielder on the bench that can play some defense too. If Buxton is down, I think we think that Santana would start with Rosario in left and Sano in right. Now, of course Rosario can go play CF and Arcia can go into LF, but if you're protecting a 1-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, I'd rather go with Rosario, Mastro/Benson, Sano than keep Arcia and Sano out there with Rosario (in a case where Santana was pinch-hit for or something). You'd still have the backup catcher and infielder on the roster. That said... I don't envision one of those three making it to start the season, though I wouldn't rule it out.

I don't know/think that Sweeney can really play CF... I feel like he's depth if they are able to trade Arcia and there would be an injury. Benson, I definitely like that signing. Depth in the minors is important. He can play a really good CF... And, you're right... if he's improved his ability to accept failure and be a role player, he can provide some value to a team.

I don't necessarily agree. I went back and forth about whether or not to go with one or two lefties, but Nolasco's going to be on the team. I'd be surprised if they traded him. I think he'll be given a legit shot at a rotation spot. I also don't think they'd flat-out release him in spring training. So, reality forced my hand on that one. And, to be honest, I don't have a problem with given Nolasco every opportunity. It's his career. He was hurt. I hate to go to the well too much, but my mantra more and more is... "Let's let it play out and see what happens." If he's in the bullpen, there are so many "failed" starters who become really good relievers... Why can't a guy who was once a pretty good starter become at least a good reliever? I don't know if he will, but I have no problem with trying it.

I can see both of those scenarios happening, though I do believe that Tonkin would be claimed, though if he cleared, that would be great. I do believe that Buxton will be given every opportunity to win the CF job out of spring training. It's very clear that's what everyone (except probably Santana) wants. And, I think Berrios will be up sooner than that.

He'll likely get plenty of save chances, but Perkins is the closer. There's really no competition for that in spring training. If Perk struggles, sure, it'll come up then.

No it doesn't. Early in the offseason, Jeremy Nygaard considered this... Unless he's kept in the minors until like late July, having him up has no affect at all on his service time. (assuming he stays up for good when he does come up)

Sano can get a start a week at DH or 3B or 1B with Park, Plouffe or Mauer getting a day off. Or, Arcia can DH. It wouldn't be a ton, and may not be as consistent, but he'd get some chances. Like any backup.

I was going to say the opposite on Jay. I think his floor is dominant, late-inning left-handed reliever. His ceiling is #2 starter... Stewart's floor is MLB reliever. Ceiling is frontline starter... Of course, without further improvement, High-A ball could be their floor, but I think that might be a little negative.

About a month ago, I posted an article asking Where Are We Now in which I tried to project the Twins Opening Day roster. Not a lot has happened since then, but being at Twins Fest, trying to read between the lines of notes and quotes from players and front office personnel, I thought it would be good to try one more pre-spring training Roster Projection. We'll update this periodically throughout spring training.In the last month, since the first Roster Projection, the Twins claimed LHP Mike Strong and DFAd LHP Logan Darnell (who cleared waivers and remains in the organization). They added Carlos Quentin on a minor league deal. Twins pitchers and catchers report this weekend so now is the time to see how things look as spring training starts. It can’t come soon enough. Enough with the rumors and the sarcastic comments about the lack of activity. It is time to discuss what is really (almost) happening on the baseball field, not what is (or isn’t, if you prefer) going on in the front office and on the transaction pages. Let’s start with the hitters and then get to the pitchers: HITTERS Catcher (2) - Kurt Suzuki/John Ryan Murphy - No change here. Suzuki and Murphy will be the two catchers in the big leagues to start the season, barring injury. The Twins will want to keep Suzuki under 385 at-bats so that his 2017 option doesn’t get picked up. Ideally these two split playing time 50/50 early in the season and in time Murphy takes over more playing time. Depth: John Hicks will go to Rochester as the team’s #3 catcher, called up as needed if there is an injury. Beyond that Stuart Turner and Mitch Garver likely spend at least the first half of the 2016 season in Chattanooga, hoping to show they can contribute in some role in 2017. Designated Hitter (1) - Byung Ho Park - There are a ton of intriguing Twins stories in 2016, and Byung Ho Park’s transition to MLB pitching is certainly one of them. No question that he has huge power potential, but he will also likely strike out a ton. He will also get time at first base. First Base (1) - Joe Mauer - There have been several articleson Twins Daily in the last couple of days on Mauer’s comments regarding blurred vision due to his concussion. He has done eye exercises and will try hitting with sunglasses. Can his production jump back up from league average (overall) to league average first baseman? We shall find out. That would be a big improvement. Depth: Kennys Vargas goes to AAA where he plays every day and becomes depth at first base and DH. Second Base (1) - Brian Dozier - No question here. Dozier earned his spot on the 2015 All-Star team and even homered in his one plate appearance. What kind of numbers would he put up if he put together a full season like his last two first halves? Still just 28, that is certainly possible. Depth: Jorge Polanco and James Beresford will both be at Rochester and both can play second base. Polanco is the better bat while Beresford can provide singles and better defense. Third Base (1) - Trevor Plouffe - Those who watched the Twins five years ago still likely aren’t completely confident in saying that Plouffe is one of the best defensive third basemen in the league. He also has the ability to hit 20+ homers and drive in some runs in the middle of the lineup. Many of us are still surprised he's in a Twins uniform, but it’s not a bad thing to have his production in the lineup. Depth: The Twins can move Sano to third base once a week, or if Plouffe were to get hurt. Shortstop (1) - Eduardo Escobar - After hitting really well the last two seasons after being named the Twins starting shortstop, he finally will enter the season as the Twins Opening Day shortstop. How will he handle it? Will the doubles just keep coming? He’s had to overcome the perception that he’s “just a utility player” so hopefully he runs with this opportunity. Depth: Danny Santana and Jorge Polanco are options at shortstop if Escobar misses any time. Left Field (1) - Eddie Rosario - There are several questions in the Twins outfield, so Rosario could potentially play center field. However, with his range, patrolling the large area of left field is perfect. He showed off his arm no matter where he played. Offensively, he played well in his rookie season. However, he will have a lot to prove in 2016. Can he get his on-base percentage over .300? That will be the one stat I’ll be watching. Center Field (1) - Byron Buxton - Two things are apparent based on comments from Twins Fest. First, the Twins really, really want Byron Buxton to show up to spring training ready to take over center field starting Opening Day. Secondly, Buxton will not just be handed the job. In my opinion, it won’t be so much about stats, but it will likely be about his ability to take good plate appearances, lay off sliders down and away, etc. If Buxton goes to AAA, Danny Santana likely is the center fielder to start the season. Right Field (1) - Miguel Sano - My personal concern about Miguel Sano’s ability to play an adequate right field is very low. With his athleticism and instincts, he will catch what he gets to. He isn’t going to have great range, and there are worries in my mind about him knowing where to make the routine throws, angles, etc. Let’s be honest, this is about getting him out in the field to keep him in better shape. His bat is what will carry him. Depth: Max Kepler will likely be the outfielder called up if there is an injury to any of the three starters. Kepler will go to Rochester and play every day. The Twins will not call him up to sit on the bench. If he’s not quite ready right away, then we could see Joe Benson, Darin Mastroianni or Ryan Sweeney. Who knows? Maybe suddenly Carlos Quentin will go back to 2007 form and get a shot. Yeah, probably not. Bench (4) - Backup Catcher, Eduardo Nunez, Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana - Santana, Nunez and Arcia are out of options. Santana is an outfielder now, but he can also play both middle infield spots. Nunez can play each infield position and also both corner outfield spots. Arcia has that power potential. Used appropriately - versus right-handed pitching, playing little defense - he can provide value off the bench, or take on a more prominent role is he is able to take off. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- PITCHERS STARTING PITCHERS Starter 1/2/3 - Ervin Santana/Phil Hughes/Kyle Gibson - While the Twins like to say that everyone is competing for a job in 2016, it’s clear that, sans injury, these three are going to be in the starting rotation. Gibson was their pitcher of the year in 2015. He came in at eight percent above average and was more consistent than he was in 2014. Santana missed the first half of the season and after a slow start ended the season strong. Hughes’ 2015 season wasn’t good. He knows it. However, his 2014 season was tremendous. If healthy hopefully he can be closer to 2014. Starter 4 - Tyler Duffey - As I’ve said, if it was up to me, Duffey’s name would be in ink in the 2016 rotation. He’s got absolutely nothing to prove in AAA anymore. After one bad start, he and his remarkable curve ball provided some of the team’s best starts down the stretch. Starter 5 - Tommy Milone - Milone is often overlooked because he isn’t blessed with a big fastball. However he has put together a real solid career. If he is your team’s fifth starter, your team can be pretty solid. When he has command, he gets a lot of weak contact. Though he doesn’t throw hard, he is able to miss enough bats. Depth: Ricky Nolasco will go to spring training as a starter. He’s at the point where he won’t be handed anything, even with his contract. However, if he can return to his pre-Twins form, he should in a rotation, whether it’s the Twins or somewhere else. Trevor May also is said to be going to spring training with a chance to be a starter. With the bullpen as full of question marks as it is, odds are the May will be in the 'pen. JO Berrios is the one we all want to see in the big leagues. With the aforementioned depth, it’s likely that Berrios will start the season in AAA. The Twins could keep Berrios down in the minor leagues for 12 or 13 days like the Cubs did with Kris Bryant last year. That would allow them to keep him under team control for an extra year. The Twins typically have not worried about that, frequently opening the season with top prospects. However, Berrios will likely have to be perfect, or near-perfect, to head north with the Twins to start the season. I guess I wouldn’t be surprised if he does. BULLPEN Closer (1) - Glen Perkins - The three-time All-Star, who has closed out wins for the American League the last two season, has struggled in the second half the last two seasons. He’s been working out in Ft. Myers - working with the Twins training staff - most of the offseason instead of staying in Minnesota and hopes that will help keep him healthy throughout the season. Right-Handed Relievers (5) - Kevin Jepsen, Trevor May, Casey Fien, Michael Tonkin, Ricky Nolasco - Jepsen came to the Twins at the July trade deadline and did a terrific job in eighth and ninth inning situations. He’s back and can become a free agent following the season. May showed signs that he can be a dominant late-inning reliever and will likely be there again. Fien was offered arbitration, and while his contract isn’t guaranteed, he will likely fill a seventh inning role again, a role he’s succeeded in when healthy. Michael Tonkin is out of options, so he’s a favorite to get a roster spot, but it’s going to be tight. He will have to earn a job. And, I’ve got Nolasco here because there may be an injury to someone else, or he’ll get a spot somewhere. Who knows? Maybe he can do well in the bullpen. Left-Handed Relievers (1) - Fernando Abad - I’m sure the ideal situation would be they have a second lefty reliever to set up Perkins, but at the end of the day, the Twins need to put out the best bullpen that they can. Maybe that means just one lefty in middle relief. Abad was signed to a minor league contract and, in my opinion, is very likely to make the big league club (at least as of today) unless he has a terrible spring. DEPTH - As Nick wrote last week in his bullpen battles article, there is quite a bit of depth. From inside the organization, former Rule 5 picks Ryan Pressly and JR Graham will likely be in AAA (though if the Twins were to start the season with 13 pitchers, Pressly has a good chance). Alex Meyer had ups and downs after his move to the bullpen last year, but it would be silly to give up on him. Brandon Kintzler has pitched a lot of games and a lot of innings over the last six seasons in Milwaukee. He was hurt last year, so he came in on a minor league contract. If the Twins want to go with a true situational lefty, Ryan O’Rourke certainly fits the bill. Do they need a second left-hander? As Nick has pointed out several weeks ago, there remain some veteran left-handed relievers available via free agency. Of the nine pitchers he mentioned in the article, just two have signed in the last month. Their asking price has certainly come down. Guys like Neal Cotts, Franklyn Morales and Matt Thornton are likely available now for minor league contracts with a minimal $1.5 to $2 million base salary when they make the team. What Terry Ryan and his staff (and Twins fans) need to determine is whether getting experienced, aging relievers will be better for the team than the younger players with talent like Taylor Rogers and eventually Mason Melotakis or even Corey Williams. JT Chargois is one of the young, talented, hard-throwing relievers who is on the 40-man roster. Therefore, a very strong camp and he would make an impression, maybe even make the team. If not, he and Nick Burdi and Jake Reed all head to the minors and wait their calls. Guys like Trevor Hildenberger and Brandon Peterson are certainly worth watching early in the season too. --------------------------------------------------------- So there you have my just-as-spring-training-is-about-to-start Roster Projection. I don’t think there’s anything too earth shattering, but it is wise to go into spring training with a sense of what you would do and what you think the Twins might do. We always talk about how spring training stats mean so little in the regular season. It is interesting to think of which jobs are up for grabs and how those roster spots will be determined. Where are we now? This is a team with a lot of potential. No surprise of course as the Twins have had one of the stronger minor league systems for several years. Those players started coming up in 2014 and 2015. There are several more that will be up here in 2016 and 2017. So, how much of 2016 is about development, and how much is it about playing the players throughout the season that they feel give them the best chance to win at any given time? Ideally, of course, it’s both. That’s why having depth is going to be important. Teams go through far more than 25 players in any given season. There are question marks heading into spring training. There are questions at two to four bullpen spots, depending upon your opinion and perspective. There is the question of when JO Berrios will arrive, and what it will mean for the rest of the rotation. Will Phil Hughes or Danny Santana or Joe Mauer have bounce-back seasons? And, probably most important, how will the young guys adjust. Will Byron Buxton make the adjustments to become a solid major league hitter which, with his speed and defense, will make him elite? Will Miguel Sano cut down some on the strikeouts and continue what he started in 2015, or will the league make some adjustments (as they did in September)? Will Tyler Duffey prove those final eight starts are what he can be? How will Byung Ho Park’s transition to MLB go? Like every single team in major league baseball, the Twins have questions. And frankly, those questions can only be answered on the field. Next Monday, it all gets started. Click here to view the article

I'd have to think that the secondary market for the Sano bobblehead will be significantly more sought after than Hunter's.

I'd have no problem with Duensing, Morales. Cotts, Parra, Thornton... They're all pretty much the same. Solid vets... but again, Twins need to decide whether their experience is better than the upside of the likes of Rogers, Melotakis (in a couple of months), etc. Austin Jackson would be fine, but they'd have to pay him enough to be a starter, and he shouldn't, unless Buxton is sent down, but again, we want Buxton up soon. Jackson wouldn't want to come here, as much as we would probably love to see him. I think a Drew Stubbs would be more realistic. Stopgap in CF. Like Benson, a very good defensive centerfielder... he just strikes out a lot. I'd be fine with the Greg Holland type of signing, but again, I don't think it makes a ton of sense. By the time he gets healthy, he'll be 31-32 and a question mark. Hopefully enough questions will get answered in the Twins bullpen this season. This is a good list, to see all the names like that...

Thanks, twinssouth... I wish I could get to Chattanooga because you're right, that is a very telling level for prospects. Even in Cedar Rapids, you can start to see talent levels and the elite talent rise to the top. I saw that with Trout, and with Sano and Buxton. Rosario was close to that level then too.

Injuries can't be predicted... I mean, we can almost say that injury can be expected for most players at some point... maybe health can't be predicted. But when going into prospect rankings, I don't know the right amount of weight to put on injury risk. Before Kyle Gibson was hurt, he was ranked 1, 2 or 3 in the system. He had Tommy John, and I don't think that really should affect his prospect status a whole lot ... I maybe dropped him to 4 or 5, but only because a few other guys moved up. I have Lewis Thorpe and Fernando Romero approximately where I had them a year ago.

Regarding O'Rourke, when he was brought up, he was used pretty much only against lefties, except in blowouts, and he pitched really well against them. Once they acquired Cotts as the 2nd lefty, O'Rourke was used sparingly, and just in blowouts, and he really struggled because he was facing mostly right-handers. They would just give him the ninth. So, I don't think looking at his overall numbers is too important. (at least in determining if he can be a LOOGY)

He's said that several times, so I'm sure he did. I've been told by a few people that Rogers went to the AFL and the intent was for him to work out of the bullpen. That didn't happen. Not sure why, other than the Twins already sent three other relievers (Burdi, Reed, Hildenberger).

I was talking about the Opening Day roster (Still think it's not a great chance)... But he didn't play in the AFL because they wanted to get him through last year healthy after missing two years. I think all bets are off for him in 2016. If he can throw a few more strikes, I think he will be up before Burdi... And Burdi won't/shouldn't be too long either, and the two of them could form an incredible duo!

Australia topped South Africa 4-1 this morning (several pictures posted on my Twitter feed of some of the Twins-related players on both teams). So, New Zealand (who beat The Phillipines in an elimination game) will play South Africa tomorrow. The winner will play Australia to determine which team gets the invitation to the WBC next year.

Yeah, I guess I don't know what the strategy was if any. I'm certain they talked to the agents of guys like Sipp and Bastardo, but we don't know if those guys had any interest in coming here. We also know that part of the strategy was not going multiple years because of the depth and high talent level in the minors. That likely took them out on those two. After those two, frankly, there wasn't a ton, and we always talk about why sign veterans to MLB deals instead of trusting the youth, and now (unless they add a Matt Thornton or someone like that) they appear to be trusting the youth. I know they really like Rogers, Melotakis and Chargois. Rogers is ready, though he hasn't pitched in the role (as Nick mentioned). Not sure that's a big deal or not. I think Chargois is close and is probably the highest upside guy right up there with Burdi. As others have mentioned too, there was a clear focus on getting Perkins to figure out how to stay healthy and get in better shape and I think he has. We'll see how that goes. Having Jepsen a full year will help. Having May in the bullpen all year will be good. And Fien, when healthy, will be quality in the 7th inning. That's four guys to rely on at the end. So, we're talking about three spots. Tonkin and Nolasco are likely to hold two of them at least early in the season, so we're talking about one spot... And Pressly probably deserves one of them. We'll see, but I don't see it as a big concern. The other key, of course is starting pitching. That'll help the bullpen too.

I'm awake at 3:30 in the morning because I want to watch current Twins minor leaguers from Australia and South Africa, as well as guys I wrote about at SethSpeaks.net 10 years ago. It is a lot of fun and fun for me to see how it all comes together for every, individual player. There is no template. That makes it a lot of fun.

They always sign a bunch of minor league relievers. Nothing new there.

I'd put Mike Strong's chance of making the Twins Opening Day roster at 0.00001% He'll likely go to AA if he clears waivers. I think Chargois has a better chance of making it than Nick Burdi. Very similar prospect. Both throw 100, Burdi with a slider, Chargois with a slurve and a changeup. I think Chargois has a real chance to be the surprise of spring. I actually much prefer Rogers or O'Rourke than any of the remaining lefty relievers. With their depth, they can always keep moving guys up and down. I don't think it's at all just about quantity. There is a lot of good quality. I think we often under value Pressly. He was pitching quite well and is still young and can get better. I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

'Tis the season, the season for prospect lists. On Thursday, ESPN’s Keith Law released his Top 100 prospect list. Two weeks ago, MLB.com hosted a Top 100 prospect show on the MLB Network. Baseball America will soon be promoting their Top 100 prospect rankings. National sites and local team bloggers will be updating their team-specific Top 10, 20, 30 or 40 lists. In the coming weeks, Twins Daily will be posting our Top 20 Twins Prospects series. So many rankings. What do we do with all of that information?In the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, Jeremy Nygaard, Cody Christie and I did a ton of research on over 150 Twins minor leaguers. Upon completing that, we each posted our own individual Top 30 Twins Prospect lists. For all four of us we started the rankings with Byron Buxton, JO Berrios Max Kepler and Nick Gordon. After those four, the three prospect lists branched off in various directions. We all read information. Jeremy researched by talking to many people who know the players well. Cody spent hours upon hours digging into the statistics from various sites and locations, considering improvements or decreases from the previous year. I talked to a lot of people inside the organization, outside the organization and in the industry. We all could read each other’s paragraphs and information and yet, we all interpreted it a little bit different. We all have our “favorites,” guys that we like as prospects a little more (or less) than the other two. Many of you have read through the pages of this year’s (and previous years') prospect handbooks. Steve Buhr and Ted Schwerzlerposted their Top 15 Twins prospect rankings in the last month. Thrylos posted his Top 40 and has different criteria on what he considers a “prospect” than the others. Aaron Gleeman started his Top 40 Twins prospect series this week. When Mike Berardino researched and wrote the Twins top prospect reports and rankings for Baseball America, I guarantee he made a ton of phones calls. Keith Law has a background in a front office, in scouting and now in TV for ESPN. He talked to, likely, some of the same people that some of us “locals” talked to, but he also certainly talked to many others. John Sickelshas contacts all over baseball. My personal opinion is that it is important to see these players in practice and in game action, if possible. I value the week that I’ve been able to spend in Ft. Myers, trying to keep up with everything that is going on on the minor league fields. I think it’s important to see pitchers work in the bullpen, during PFPs, and interacting with catchers. It’s good to see hitters during batting practice, but also hitting against live pitching. It’s good to see them run the bases and in the outfield. It’s good to see the work ethic and range or the infielders. It’s also good to see the people, their athletic level, and know that they’re much more than just box scores and stat lines. All read, research, watch video and read stats to varying degrees. And there rarely, if ever, is any sort of consensus. That’s why Keith Law can rank Kohl Stewart as the 53rd overall prospect in baseball this spring, fourth among Twins prospects, and I rank him as the 11th Twins prospect in my list. How does that happen? Well, some focus on Stewart’s lack of strikeouts in his two pro seasons. Others choose to focus on his strong arm, his athleticism, his strength, his ground ball rate and his pitches. Both would agree that how he winds up will depend on how he develops over the next three or four years. It’s why I’m the only one who has Aaron Slegers in his top 30 (28th). I look at his height, his arm angle, his tremendous control, a solid three-pitch mix, and I think he can be a back-of-the-rotation starter. He may not get much taller, but he will likely continue to grow, and a 92 mph fastball could become a 94 mph fastball. We shall see. Maybe the best example is Jermaine Palacios. While I ranked him as my #21 Twins prospect, Jeremy ranked him #10, and Palacios didn’t make Cody’s Top 30. Not many players come from Venezuela as an 18-year-old and completely dominate pitchers in both the GCL and the Appy League. Others will note the lack of walks. Some will notice that he had a ton of errors at shortstop and wonder if he can stay at that position. Who is right? Right now there is no way at all to answer that question. In theory, we may have that answer in about five years. In reality, we may have to wait 20 or more years to really know who was right. In fact, I guarantee that if we were all allowed access into the Twins organizational meetings following the season, we would hear differing opinions on each and every player. I guarantee there isn’t a unanimous opinion on any big leaguer or minor leaguer or free agent. Just like in every business, or in every family. If I’ve learned one thing in my 12-13 years of watching, researching and writing about the Twins minor league system and prospect rankings in general, there is just one absolute. The lone absolute is that there are no absolutes. There are exceptions to every rule. There are non-prospects who become stars, and there are guys like Brandon Wood. In 2006 and 2007, Wood was a clear Top 10 prospect in all of baseball. He was putting up huge home run totals in the minor leagues. He was touted as a future 40 home run per year hitter. In parts of five big league seasons he hit a combined 18 home runs. Yes, the same number that Miguel Sano hit in three months with the Twins last year. Sometimes #1 overall prospects pan out. Joe Mauer certainly put together a career worthy of that lofty perch. Delmon Young was also the #1 overall prospect at one time. Jon Rauch was the #4 prospect in baseball in 2001. Baseball America’s 1995 Top 5 prospects were Alex Rodriguez, Ruben Rivera, Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter, and Brian Hunter. Three out of five is pretty good, but it is a reminder that they just don’t all make it. So, what do these prospects rankings do for us? Well, it allows us to dream. The Twins have had Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Buxton has been a consensus top two prospect the last three years. Sano was a top ten prospect a couple of times and places. JO Berrios has moved up the prospect ranking ladder consistently since signing. Max Kepler’s tools finally kicked in. Jorge Polanco may not have a clear path to the Twins, but he can certainly hit, even if we don’t know where he’ll play. Top six picks like Buxton, Kohl Stewart, Nick Gordon and Tyler Jay provide plenty of upside. Consider also the relief pitching prospects that the Twins could have pitching for them within the next two years. I’ve said this before, but it remains true. I look at the Twins minor league system, and I see arguably 30-40 players who could spend time in the big leagues. When you consider that there are 160-200 minor league players in the Twins system at any time, that may not sound like a lot, but it’s more than you’ll see in most organizations. Considering where the Twins minor league system was six to eight years ago, it’s even more impressive. Let’s say there are 40 players that the Twins or fans think could get to the big leagues. The reality is that probably one and possibly two will become perennial All-Stars. Maybe five or six will become big league regulars, in the lineup most days or a starting pitcher. Another five or six will likely spend a few years in the big leagues as a role player, a utility player or sixth or seventh inning guy. Another seven or eight will get a proverbial cup of coffee. And that leaves around fifth to twenty that may not even get to the big leagues. Also, there are going to be five or six guys that will play at least a few games in the big league that right now today, we may not think will not play in the big leagues. That’s why having a strong, deep minor league system is so important. It is incredibly hard to get to the big leagues. It takes a ton of work and talent, and sometimes it takes the right situation and a little luck. Consider just how good a baseball player someone has to be to get as much as a cup of coffee in the big leagues. I mean frankly, imagine how good a ballplayer needs to be to get to Low A. That’s the reason that I write the Twins Prospect Handbook. All of the players deserve to be recognized for what they do. It’s important. It’s deserved. You may disagree with Kohl Stewart’s ranking by Keith Law. You may be right. Or you may not. Who will have a better career Stewart, or fellow 2013 pick Stephen Gonsalves? Will Tyler Jay be able to transition to starting, or will he wind up being a dominant reliever? Will Alex Meyer pitch like he did in 2014 when he was one of the best AAA pitchers in baseball, or will he find a way to be successful in the bullpen? Can Adam Brett Walker be a productive big league power hitter, or will the contact rate make that impossible? Will Byron Buxton be a successful big leaguer because of his defense and speed and arm, or will he be able to hit well and become an elite, MVP-caliber player? Can JO Berrios become a top of the rotation starter, or will he be more of a mid-rotation type? In 2015, Max Kepler turned his tools into skills in AA, but can he take that next step and become a five-tool talent in the big leagues? Can he repeat his AA success in the big leagues? Can Nick Burdi and JT Chargois harness their control and command and become a dominant eighth and ninth inning combination for the Twins in the not-too-distant future? Can Taylor Rogers quickly make the transition from starter to a guy the Twins can rely on to get left-handed hitters out in the seventh and eighth innings? How quickly can lefties Mason Melotakis and Corey Williams get to the big leagues after Tommy John surgery? How will high-end pitching prospects like Lewis Thorpe and Fernando Romero return in 2016 from their Tommy John surgeries and return to game action? The questions can go on and on when they refer to prospects. There are probably a half-dozen or more questions per minor leaguer. And for each there is no ‘Wrong’ answer, and there is only one ‘Right’ answer. That answer is “Maybe.” But the best thing about prospect rankings for fans is the discussions that they encourage. They let us dream of what could be for Twins fans. They get us excited about the upcoming season and about what will happen with the Twins and throughout the minor leagues. Which prospects will take the next step? Which prospects will fall from prospect status? Which prospects will jump up to the big leagues? So let’s look at the lists. Let’s see how people rank the Twins prospects, or the Twins farm system. Let’s discuss it. Are they right? Are we right? Maybe. Click here to view the article

Good, fun update. In our Foorum, we've got a Hammond Happenings 2016 thread where you should link this to. I enjoy reading all of this. Reusse is a good guy, but don't tell anyone...